


Burning

by JadeNightTheWriter



Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: Angst, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, One Shot, because she will rain hell down on you, don't you dare mess with linh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:07:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26913397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeNightTheWriter/pseuds/JadeNightTheWriter
Summary: For years she's been the one to put out the flames. The world is going to burn, and this time, she's not going to put it out.
Kudos: 12





	Burning

**Author's Note:**

> So I've had this idea in my head for a while now, but [this post](https://elwinsglasses.tumblr.com/post/631450711100620800/possible-multiple-births-theory) really made me write it.

For years she's been the one to put out the flames. When the world was burning, she'd put it out. And she'd smile, and be the bright spot in Tam's life, and she'd be the calm one who took care of people when they got hurt. But they shouldn't have gotten hurt in the first place.

Another day, another argument, and Linh is so _sick_ of it. She's so tired of hearing the Council finally try to do things themselves, when they should have done it before.

She's had enough.

The arguments jolt to a halt as she slams her palms on the table, standing up. Silence.

"You're getting _nothing_ done," Linh snaps. She can feel her anger simmering, just below the surface, like an underwater volcano. "Sophie is dead, Fitz lost an arm, Dex and Biana are blind, and Keefe can never walk again. You should have tried to help before, before we lost them." Her voice is steadily rising by the second, and she's proud that it doesn't waver. "And Tam is dead. He doesn't even exist anymore, after what they did to him."

Several people flinch.

"Stop locking me up," Linh almost shouts. "I'm the most powerful Hydrokinetic in _centuries_ , and you're trying to protect me, but it's too _late_."

She lowers her voice, injecting every word with as much venom as she can muster. "It's. Too. Late. I'm so, _so_ tired of pretending I believe in you. I'm so sick of being the cheerful one, and letting the more 'powerful' people do things. I can't just sit back and watch you pretend you know what you're doing."

Linh turns away, abruptly. "I'm going."

"Where are you going?" someone asks, and she almost laughs because it sounds almost threatening. Do they still think she holds enough respect for them to be intimidated?

"I'm going to find the Neverseen," she answers, smiling at them. "And when I come back, there won't be a single member left standing."

She's done being sweet and perfect and kind. She's done pretending she has faith it'll be alright. She's done trying to accepted into Elvin society. She's done placing her life in the hands of people who send children into battle.

She's just... done.

Linh leaves the room to silence, and when she steps outside, she wipes away a few tears. Tam would hate to see what she became. He'd always loved that she'd been able to see the bright side, even if it annoyed him.

But watching your brother die in front of you, watching the most powerful elf ever die in front of you, watching your friends lose one by one by one. She doesn't think anyone can escape that unscathed.

For years she's been the one to put out the flames. The world is going to burn, and this time, she's not going to put it out.


End file.
